In Bryant’s eyes, then, those Rutgers players were wimps, afraid to stand up for themselves?

“I’m not sure (why no one said anything),” he said. “Everybody was trying to do the right thing by kind of just holding your tongue and not say anything. That’s abusive, man, you cannot take that form of abuse. That’s crazy.”

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A basketball prodigy, Bryant was all but assured a set-for-life safety net of guaranteed NBA contracts. Most college basketball players won’t get to the pros, though, and are completely dependent on the coach for their scholarships. On many campuses, the coach has near-absolute power over his players.

Bryant will make almost $60 million in salary and endorsements this year. That’s more than any coach. His job is secure. As a superstar, assume he rarely hears the word “no,” let alone language like the kind Rice used with his players.